I promised earlier, pictures and tales of my trip to the Palo Duro Canyon for July 4th.
I drove for 6 hours with my two lovely children and their dog. I'm mostly allergic to animals, but I took my allergy medicine and I dealt with it. She actually traveled well. Her name is Jazzie and she's a Pomeranian. When we arrived in Canyon, we were greeted by Gracie. She's a Shih Tzu. She's a cool looking dog (Shih Tzu on the left, Pomeranian on the right). By the time I left Canyon, my eyes were starting to swell from the shock to my allergic system.
I am always amazed at how far you can see when I'm there. It's kind of nice to be able to see to the horizon. My dad is fond of telling the story about the people that moved to the Texas Panhandle from the big cities and had to go running back because of the agoraphobia.
I also mentioned before that we went and watched the Texas play at the Canyon. I think I've seen it for about 5 years running now. I'm not entirely sure you need to see it more than once, but it's worth a one time venture to be sure. The Palo Duro Canyon (where it is done) is the 2nd largest canyon in the USA.
The Texas musical is mostly a historical show about the Texas Panhandle. After watching it 5 years in 
a row, it's rather boring. This year they changed things up a bit and I liked the changes. I don't know if I liked them because it added something or because it was different. I do know that this is the first time I've ever gone that it was sold out. And we always go around the 4th of July so the date had nothing to do with it. I suspect by word mouth, lots of people had been notified of its improvement.
They have a contest every night giving a gift package to the person traveling the furthest to see the play. They said that in something like 44 years they have never had a winner from the USA. The winner this year was from Taiwan if I remember right. I wasn't paying real close attention because my 3 year old niece was sitting behind me giving some insightful and not to be missed entertaining commentary. She's an Aquarius.
One of the reasons we go see it around the 4th of July every year is because they do a tribute to America that is not to be missed. It normally brings a tear to my eye. And I write that in an uncharacteristically non-sarcastic manner.The pictures are kind of blurry because we didn't have a tripod and it was dark, but my daughter did a pretty good job.
It starts out with a guy riding a horse through the canyon behind the stage carrying an American flag. It's all dark except for the spotlight on him. He brings it into center stage and all the performers come in behind him carrying the flags of all 50 states. Then everything quiets and the lights dim with a single spotlight on the horseback rider carrying the American flag. He sits in the middle still carrying the flag, takes off his hat, puts it over his heart and they sing America The Beautiful. Typically, the crowd stands and sings along. It's amazing.
No matter how much complaining people do about our government, this is still the greatest country in the world and as long as "we the people" continue to believe, it always will be.
But, then it gets you to thinking. If you travel, you know America is beautiful, but so is the rest of the world. Why can't the entire world be United just like the states of America? With today's technology the world has become smaller. I don't think it's too much to ask that we can become the United Countries of Planet Earth.
Lovely post and quite nice without the sarcasm. You sound a bit like Lennon...Imagine. Thousands of years would need to be erased, but we hold onto the past in order not to repeat it, but in the holding on we also don't let go. We remember the differences that divide us, that cause us to notice only the contrast and not the dream of a world without war, class divisions...well, you know how the song goes. Actually had to dig out my old vinyl album and listen to John sing this morning. Thanks for the post, Gar. :)
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